Fish-screen.



J. SEPPO.

FISH SCREEN. APPLIQATION FILED JAN. 3, 1914..

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

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A% Gm: we 1 run NORRIS PETERS c0.. PHn'ro-LITHQ. WASHINGTUN. D. C.

J. SEPPO.

FISH SCREEN.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 3, 1914.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Snow lbw 0000000000 In M THE NORRIS PETERS CO4. PHOTC-LITHQ, WASHINGTON,D. C,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. SEPPO.

FISH SCREEN. I APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3,1914.

Patented Mar. 16, 19.15.

n15 Nwmw PETERS C0. PHoro-LITHO., WASHINGTON, D. C.

JAMES SEPIE'O, OF NASl-IWAUK, MINNESOTA.

FISH-SCREEN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

Application filed January 3, 1914. Serial No. 810,216.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES Snrro, citizen ofthe United States, residing at Nashwauk, in the county of Itasca andState of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFish-Screens, of -which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fish screens or traps of that general classespecially de signed for use in rivers, creeks, canals, irrigationditches and the like.

The primary object of the invention contemplates the provision of anovel and peculiar fish trap wherein a plurality of automaticallyoperated trap doors or fish Ways (as theywill be hereinafter referredto) are so positioned with respect to the water-Way as to permit freepassage of the fish in one direction, yet, should an attempt be made toreturn or pass in the opposite direction, such an attempt will be barredor frustrated, thus entrapping the fish without injury thereto.

The invention further aims to provide a fish stop or screen whollyautomatic in its closing operation, and wholly operable during anopening operation by the force of the fish attempting to pass thebarrier created by the stop or screen.

The invention still further resides in the provision of a fish waycomprising a pair of substantially V-shaped sections, the adjacentflared extension of each section being maintained in yieldableengagement by the action of the flowing water upon the other or outersection, this arrangement of the said sections efiecting a barrier forpreventing the passage of fish in one direction in a manner to behereinafter fully described.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as areillustrated in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings,described in the following specification and then more particularlypointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part ofthis application.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure lis a top plan view of a trap or screen arranged in its preferred form;Fig.

2 is a similar view, the arrangement of the screen being slightlymodified; Fig. 3 is a top plan View of a single tier of fish ways, thedotted lines indicating the movement thereof; Fig. f is a side elevationof the screen illustrated in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective viewof one of the fish way sections; Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary viewillustrating the hinged connection of one of the fish-way sections; andFig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the manner in whichthe screen is secured to the frame of the device.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, wherein is illustrated thepreferred embodiment of my invention, 1 designates the bank or side ofthe water-way within which the stop or screen comprising the presentinvention is arranged. Extending transversely of, and from one to theother side of the water way, I provide a suitable frame 2, preferablycomposed of a plurality of jointed pipe sections, arranged in anysuitable manner, and shaped to conform to the configuration of the bedof the water way within which it is positioned.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1 wherein is illustrated onearrangement of the stop or screen, I provide upon one side of the frame2 a suitable screen supporting frame 3, likewise composed of a pluralityof jointed pipe sections, arranged in the manner illustrated with thepointed extremity of each screen pointing upstream to create a guide ortrough adapted to direct the fish toward the fish ways designated as anentirety by the numeral 4: said ways being supported by the frame 2 andpositioned upon the opposite side of the said frame from that of thescreen 3. The said screen is preferably arranged to effect a pluralityof substantially V-shaped guide ways, the diverged or wide openextremity of each guide being opened to the flow of the water, thedirection of the flow being indicated by the arrows in the drawings. Theconverged end of each guide is sufficiently spaced to provide for thearrangement and operation of the fish-ways 4, which fish ways arecomposed of a pair of duplicate substantially V-shaped fish way sectionsdesignated, 5, the converged or pointed extremity of each section beinghingedly connected to suitable vertical uprights or perpendicular framesections. One of the extensions of the said section 5 being somewhatelongated, it is apparent that the action of the flowing water thereuponwill normally maintain the other of the extensions of the said sectionsin yieldable engagement at all times. The fish ways a are positioned onedirectly above the other, the number 0]": the said fish ways beingvaried according to the depth of the water way within which they areused.

It being a well known fact that the larger fish tend to follow thecenter of the water way and the smaller fish the bank or sides thereof,and to render the action of the fish positive when attempting to passthe barrier formed by the device or screen comprising the presentinvention, the fish ways 4 at the sides of the water ways arecomparatively small to provide for actuation by fish insignificant or ofsmaller size. In Fig. 2 of the drawings, the arrangement of the fishways 4 is slightly different from" that illustrated in Fig. 1, in thesaid Fig. 2, the larger fish ways are disposedexactly in the center ofthe water way and the guide way leading thereto is double the length ofthe guide ways illustrated in the said Fig. 1. The arrangementillustrated in this figure (referring to Fig. 2) is particularlyadaptable for smaller streams or water ways to exclude fishcomparatively large in size. In Fig. 3 a single tier of fish ways alsodesignated 4 have been provided, the said ways being arranged, onedirectly above the other, as is illustrated to advantage in Fig. i ofthe drawings to which the description now under way'appertains, eachfish way as above stated comprising a pair of independent fish waysections designated 5, the said sections being each substantiallyV-s'haped and hingedly connected to the uprights 6 carried by the frame2 of the device; The outer or elongated extensions of the said sections5 being in the path of the flowing water, it is apparent that the inneradjacent extensions of the said sections are normally maintained inengagement one with the other to close com munication between theopposite sides of the spaced V-shaped screens 7 arranged upon theopposite side of the frame 2 from that upon which the fish ways 4 aredisposed. The opposite side of the screens 7 form the guide to the fishways 4:, thereby directing the fish within the water way to the engagingextensions of the said sections 5.

Referring now to the detail description of the fish ways, the said waysare constructed as follows: Each section of the said fish ways being induplicate, but one section will be described in detail. As above stated,each said section is substantially V-shaped and comprises an innercomparatively short ex tension 8, and an outer elongated extension 9,the former being provided with a plurality of apertures 10 to permitunobstructed passage ofthe flowing water therethrough, and to relieve,to some extent, the pressure of the water, that would be otherwise borneby the said shorter eXtension 8. The extension 9 is provided with anopening 11 at its inner or converged end, the said opening beingprovided for the purpose of permitting fish, in attempting to reenterthat portion of the water way from whence theyoriginally came, to enterthe space between the substantially Vshaped screens 11 above mentioned.-Each section 5 is pivotally connected to the'upright frame section 6,the said sections being disposed in parallel spaced relation as isillustrated to advantage in Fig. 4 of the drawings to provide fortheoperation or actuation of one fish way entirely independent of the fishway above or below.

In Fig. 7, I have illustrated in detail the manner in which the wiremesh screen desig nated 13 is secured to the frame 2. A suitable bracketlai is arranged to embrace the pipe section of which the frame 2 is composed, the extensions 15 of the said bracket serving as clamping jawsbetween which strips 16 are clamped, the said strips having the wiremesh 13 interposed therebetween. Any suitable retaining element such asthe rivets or bolts 17 may be provided for maintaining the jaws of thebracket 14 in clamped position. 7

Having described in detail the construction and arrangement of severalforms of the present invention, it now remains to set forth theoperation of the device. As before stated, the screen is so positionedwithin the water way as to provide for the passage of the fish downstream, and, after passing the barrier in a manner to be hereinafterdescribed, to prevent the repassage of the fish upstream or in oppositedirection. In com ing down stream, or in the direction indi: cated bythe arrows in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the fish will come incontact with the substantially V-shaped screen 3 and, by the guide-waysformed thereby, will be directedtoward the fish ways at supported by theframe 2. In following the course of the stream, the fish having beendirected to the fish ways 4:, force their way against the innerextension 8 of the said ways, and, by exerting sufii'cient forcethereupon, separate the said section 5 of the said ways thus permittingthe fish to pass therebetween. After passing, the action of the flowingwater upon the elongated extension 9 of the sections 5 willautomatically return the said sections to their normal position with theadjacent or inner sections 8 in yieldable engagement one with the other,thus positioning the said fish way in the desired manner. The fishhaving once passed the fish ways at cannot reenter that portion of thewater way from whenceit came, as the lateral facesof the adjacentextensions 8 are so positioned to force the said extension, by exertingpressure thereupon normally in engagement with one another, and at thesame time directing the fish toward the opening 11 in the elongatedextension 9 where it is free to pass therethrough into the space betweenthe screen 7 of the device.

In water ways wherein the current is exceptionally strong, the devicemay be in clined slightly upstream to offset the effect of the swiftlyflowing water against the elongated extension 9 of the fish ways, whilein a stream of moderate current, the device is arranged perpendicularlyor in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In still water,the device is positioned upon an incline to thus enable the adjacentextensions 8 of the fish ways to be normally maintained in engagementone with the other by the weight of the elongated extension 9. Ifdesired, the elongated extensions 9 may be entirely dispensed with, andweight members provided in their stead, the former however, it isthought, is better adaptable for the purpose of which the invention isdesigned.

It may be found, upon practical application to the invention, that it isadvantageous to employ transparent material such as isinglass, toconstruct the fish ways or trap doors of the device, as it is a wellknown fact, that fish, will swim directly against the transparentmaterial which, in the present invention would insure the opening of thesection 5 and the passage of the fish to the space affordedtherebetween. It is to be understood, of course, that a suitable screen'is arranged upon the inner sde of and in spaced relation to the frame 2to close passage between that portion of the water way within which thefish are entrapped and that portion upon the other side thereof.

From the above, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, itis apparent that the device comprising the present invention isabsolutely automatic in its operation; that the same may be readilyutilized in streams with or without current; and that the arrangement ofthe fish ways may be varied to assume various positions with outdeparting in any way from the spirit of the invention.

In reduction to that the form of in the drawings and referred to in theabove description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most etficientand practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with theadoption of my device will necessarily vary, desire to emphasize thefact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportionand arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, withoutsacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in theappended claims.

ractice I have found my invention, illustrated.

'Having' .thus fully"describedmy invention, what I'claim as new anddesire to'secure by Letters Patent is:-

l. A device for water ways including a fish way composed of a pair ofmovable sections, and means against which water impinges to normallymaintain the sections in coacting relation. 9 A device for water waysincluding a fish way composed of a pair of relatively movable sections,and means on each section against which water impinges to normallymaintain the sections in contiguous relation.

3. A device for water ways including a fish way composed of a pair ofsubstantially ii-shaped fish way sections, and means nornormallymaintain the sections in coacting relation, as and for the purpose setforth.

4-. A device for water ways including a plurality of fish ways composedof a pair of duplicate substantially ll-shaped fish way sections,supports to which the said sections are pivotally connected, and meanson said sections against which water impinges to normally maintain thesections in coacting relation, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a device for water ways, a fish way composed of a pair ofrelatively movable sections, the respective sections being complemental,means on each section against which water impinges to normally maintainthe sections in contiguous relation, and guide means associated witheach fish way to direct the fish thereto, as and for the purpose setforth.

6. In a device for water ways, a fish way composed of a pair ofcomplemental substantially V-shaped sections, the remote extensions ofthe respective sections being enlarged, the said enlarged'extensionsbeing impinged by the water within the water way to normally maintainthe adjacent extensions of the respective sections in coacting relation,support means for the respective sections, and guide means associatedwith each fish way to direct the fish thereto, as and for the purposeset forth.

7. A device for water ways including a suitable frame, a screen, ascreen member supported by the said frame, the said screen member beingpositioned to provide a plurality of substantially V-shaped guide ways,a plurality of fish ways pivotally supported by the said frame at theconverged end of each guide way, the said fish ways each comprising apair of substantially V-shaped fish way sections, the adjacent extensionof each section being normally maintained in yieldable engagement, suchengagement being effected by the action of the water within the waterway.

8. A device for water ways including a suitable frame, a screen membersupported thereby, the said screen being positioned within the saidwater way to provide a plurality of substantially V shaped guide ays, aplurality of fish Ways carried by the said frame at the convergedextremity of each guide Way, each fish Way comprising a pair of pivotedsubstantially V-shaped fish way sections, the inner adjacent extensionsof each, section being normally maintained in yieldable engagement, theouter extension of each section being elongated to normally maintain thesaid inner extension in yield- Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the In testimony whereof I aifix mysignature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES SEPPO.

Witnesses OSCAR J OHNs'roN, GUST. RINNAN.

(iommi ssi omr of Patents.

'Waminzton, D. G.

